WhatsApp: It’s Between You
Media strategy for WhatsApp’s Brazil brand launch during Carnival.
I was part of the small team that began It’s Between You. I developed the media strategy for its Brazil launch, working with creative, research, and local marketing teams.
The campaign told stories about the relationships people maintain through private conversations. Its first film followed rival samba schools helping each other after a fire, with WhatsApp connecting them behind the scenes.
Getting the launch out
Before a local media planning team was in place, I covered both the central planning role and day-to-day media support in Brazil. I brought the local agency into planning early and kept the teams connected as the creative and media plans developed. That work helped the film launch in time for Carnival.
When COVID changed the media landscape, I initiated a revision of the Brazil media approach and worked with the new local planning team to adapt the country plan.
Making the learning useful
I wrote the first draft of WhatsApp’s brand learning agenda and developed it with research and Marketing Science partners. It gave us a shared set of questions to investigate through the campaign and later informed a broader consumer marketing learning framework.
The learning also travelled beyond WhatsApp. I shared an analysis of audience reactions to the Carnival creative that helped inform planning for a later Facebook campaign.
Sunbeams
The campaign continued with Sunbeams, a Mother’s Day film made during lockdown. It has its own project page.
Campaign recognition
- London International Awards 2021: Silver in Documentary Short Film; Bronze in Scripted Short Film; Bronze in Performance/Casting. The Carnival film also received finalist recognition in Zeitgeist, Original Score, and Sound Mixing/Editing.
- New York Festivals 2020: Silver in Film Craft and Bronze in Film Craft / Direction, as reported by Meio & Mensagem.
Coverage and further reading
- It’s Nice That — the Brazil launch, the story behind the film, and production stills.
- MarketingDirecto — Spanish-language launch coverage and the campaign’s international plans.
Campaign credits
WhatsApp and AlmapBBDO developed the campaign.
The New York Festivals entry lists my role as Communication Planning Manager at WhatsApp.
Watch the Carnival making-of film for a look at the production.